Apparatus for galvanizing wire and the like



Aug; 4, 1931.

H. G. BLACK APPARATUS FOR GALVANIZING WIRE AND THE LIKE Filed April 22. 1929 Cit Patented Aug. 4, 1931 PATENT OFFICE HARRY GEAN BLACK, OF GALVESTON, TEXAS APPARATUS FOR GALVANIZING WIRE AND THE LIKE Application filed Apri1 22,

The invention relates to galvanizing metal wire, metal strips, and the like.

In the type of apparatus now most commonly used for galvanzing metal objects, the charge of zinc is melted in a large vat of steel or similar metal, and, as the heat is applied to the lower surface, the surface adjacent the furnace is heated to a higher temperature than is necessary for the metal near the center of the vat. At high temperatures around 1000 F. the zinc alloys with the steel of the vat and the walls rapidly disintegrate. In applying the zinc to the objects it is found that the said objects must be immersed in the molten Zinc long enough to be thoroughly heated to the temperature of the zinc or the coating will not adhere properly. This makes necessary a larger vat for the zinc than would otherwise be necessary. I

It is an object of the invention to preheat the wire or other metal objects to be galvanized so that only a short immersion will be necessary, thus economizing in the amount of zinc melted at any one time.

It is also desired to provide a novel means of heating the .wire and conducting it through the charge of molten zinc.

I also have as an object to provide a means of heating the zinc to a uniform temperature, a-

whereby it will not be too hot and hence will not rapidly attack the walls of the vat.

The method of heating and subjecting the wire to the galvanizing bath has novel features which will more clearly appear from Lil the description which follows:

Referring to the drawing herewith whereina preferred embodimentof the invent1on is shown,

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of an installation whereby my invention may be carried out.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section of the same.

Fig. 3 is an end elevation of the furnace,

, and

1929. Serial No. 356,953.

perature and has to be run through the molten zinc for a period long enough to heat up the object so that the coating may adhere properly. I overcome this necessity by providing a preheating furnace for the wire before it is immersed in the molten Zinc. In the drawing the preheating furnace is indi catod at A. The furnace has a lower Wall 1 which is inclined upwardly from the forward end toward the rearward end. may be of clay or other material resistant to heat and having a face 2 of fire brick or other similar material. The forward end 3 of the furnace has openings toward the lower portion thereof through which the fuel burners t may extend. These burners are adapted to burn liquid or gaseous fluid and the flame from the burners is projected backwardly through the furnace so that the spent gases may find an exit through a series of openings 5 to a point beneath the zinc vat.

The upper wall and side walls of the furnace may be of heat-resistant material and I have shown expansion joints 5 to allow for expansion under heat. The forward end of the furnace toward the upper side is provided with an opening 6, best shown in Fig. 3. This opening may be partially closed by a door 7 hinged above the opening and adapted to extend downwardly to partially close the opening. This opening 6 is to receive the wire 8, which passes through the length of the furnace and issues at the oppo site end through an opening 9. It is to be understood that the wire in passing through this furnace at its ordinary rate of travel will be heated to the temperature of the molten zinc or perhaps slightly above the Zinc temperature.

From the furnace the wire passes into a pan or vat 10 for the molten Zinc. This pan,

'as shown, is approximately rectangular in shape, the lower wall of the pan being inclined downwardly to the center, and the central portion 11 is supported upon an I- beam 12, which in turn is supported upon a base or foundation 13 of heat-resistant material. The upper margins of the pan 10 are extended laterally to form flanges 14, best seen in Fig. 4.

This floor r I employ partitions 25'zpreferably at the mid-Q As previously stated, the temperature of the Zinc shouldnot be raised to too high a point or it Will alloy With. the steel of the tank and form adross in the bottom of the pan. I, therefore, provide means to prevent the zinc from being raised to an extremely high temperatureby placing a second; larger pan or: vat15 below the pan 10. This pan is of the same shape as the pan 1Q but is intended to contain lead Whichmelts at comparatively low temperatures anddoes not attack the stee l o fthe panat h igh te nlperatures. I am therebyenabl'ed to heat the lead at any desired temperature-sons to.

maintain the temperatures of the zinc at about 8 509 here danger; f; alloying. With the; steel of thepan, isgreat-ly reduce-d.

Thepan l 5 is supportedbetween the l' beam l2 and,;the base 18. andflssupported tatits.

endsfupon' the all'16 at the outer end of the. W1 ll liupon the Wa l: 7:21t1 einner e d-0f e nail hen-an eing f rm d. with a flange resting upon. the lowerside of the opening 9,- in;the-, furnace. At the-sidespfithe pan15, theflange lS around the marginof thepan is spaced slfightly. from: thej wall 16, ofthe' fire box beneath; thepan 15.; 0. as to allow theesape. fthe. eated. gases. upwardly. around the edge of ;.the .pan, thereby. maintaining the temperature of theupper portion of the. pan

t h pronerlpn n pan .10 hen the material is allowed to cool, Thave cliwided the; interior ofathe .leadqcontamingpan 15 into a ;plurality. of chambers dle point at eachsideof .thepan. These partitions extend into contactwitln the outer sun. face of the pan 10, The effect .ofthesefpan.

Y titiojnsis to allow contraction of the lead. ill, the. pan 1'5 .When..cool1ng without -.for1n1ng. a.

nnbi uous. plate of ;-lea.d. extending [about the zinc pan.. Thelead-ineach chamber may shrinkand drawaway from the Walls or par-' titions 25. withoutiexertingfa strain upon the said pan: suchas would oecur'if there werea' continuous body: oflead;

The lower side of the pan 15 is heated throughburners 19, saidburners'bein g directed'doyvnwardly at an angle toWarda bafl'le 2O of fire bricl r or other fire resistingmaterial. As will be noted' fro n F- g lfl have provided four of tliese b tirnersi ea ch of them directed inwardly to w ard the center downwardly to iv arcltlie ba fiIeQOQ I amth us enabled to. heatthe 'bafieof firebrickto an incandescent heat and manita n in the fire. box, a tem p eratur e, enou perform the n zi ng operation.

T1". .ivu'e-i gsn ed h o s h be ef melten. zin c by a cross bar 21;, Whiclrmay be;

strip .of angle iron, or the like, the lower side of ;WhiQl1 I' contemplate facing ith: ahard 'J. abrasion-resistant matei'ialsuchas. Stellite or The Wire in passing to the bath of zinc passes over the edge of the pan beneath the cross bar 21 and out over, the opposite. margin of thefpan tothe .reeluponwhich the wireisw It will be notedthat the amount of zinc necessary for use in this operation is comparatively s1na.ll The. pan with the molten zinc therein is much smaller than that employed here, the wire is not heated before it is subjected to the galvanizing operation. This allows. a. large, economy in, the .use of zinc and makes itilnatrially, cheaper, to, heat the zinc and;keep .it atthe. proper temperature. Further, tllfi. use of ,the double. pan. with molt ten lead between; the two. pans makes, it.pos-. sible to. maintain thezinc at the. propengaL vanizing temperature. Without danger of its becoming too. hot. adjacent;v the; furnace. by. which it f is heated. i

' There lS Et'jfllIthQIf. advantage in. the. use of the preheating furnaee in that it does. I1.0t. in-. terferein any way Withthe-draWing .oiithe wire through they galvanizing material and. theheated gases from the preheating furnace mayberun into the spacebeloW the galvanizing. tank andthereby assist intthe heating of In order to avoid undue strain, upon. the.

thechargeof zinc. The device is exceeding- 1y simple in construction and efficient in its. operation and is much: more,. economical in. usethan isthe oldtype. of galvanizing; installation The further advantages, of the .construction; 1 will be. obvious to .those skilled in he.art.- I f What I clai nas newgis;

1-.- A gal-vanizingpan for. Zinc, apan spaced below, said galvanizing; pan adapted :to, .con-. tain lead, .means ..t0.= heat ithe...lower oi :said. panaend partitions insaid lower pan. acting to dividethe same into four chambers .for. the. urposeset forth. 1 v

2. 111a galvanizing apparatus, a pan. for zinc, .a secondtpantbelovv said.-firstmentioned pan. adapted to contain lead, a battle supporting said lower pan,; a plurality of burners di-' rected against'said baffle tohe at said pan, and meansto allow escape ofEheated, gases around the'margin ofs'aid loWer pa n Wherebysaid eve reei ue te ml eat d.

n aeelr ni iee ease en w lower pans, a balfie centrallybeloW said loiver pan and acting to support the same, .burr ers. below.. said pans directed upon said battle; a Wall surrounding said pansQsaid- Wall being.

eat d. l s fl ml th matein s eed-1 w er pan for the purpose described;

4.; Aw 1vaniz gpan far inc, a. lead containing. pan spaced. below. saidv galvanizing. pan, mews to heat .the lead containing .pan,

and pluralitytof partitionsLtransversely .of 1

a uu

said lower pan serving to divide the same into a plurality of chambers whereby the contraction of said lead on cooling will not affect said pan.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature this 18th day of April, A. D. 1929.

HARRY GEAN BLACK. 

